Days 298-300: Power of Positivity

Day 298: On Thursday afternoon I was starting to feel like myself again after the latest stomach battle.  Thank goodness I was, because my body was going through yoga sculpt withdraw.  Before I left for class a friend of mine sent me this article, Words Can Change Your Brain:  The Most Dangerous Word In The World

Did you click on the article?  If not,  Do. It. Now!  Seriously, it’s some powerful stuff.  The article helped to get my mind into a positive place before class.  I walked to the my local CPY and told myself, “i’m going to be awesome today.”  Not only was the class awesome, I felt so strong….for 30 minutes.   At exactly the 30 minute mark I hit a wall.  I got light-headed and felt nauseous.  I made it through the last 30 minutes, but did not feel in tune with my body at all.  Despite the power of positive thoughts, my body took over.  Could there ever be a bigger battle?  Mind vs. body.   The real challenge is figuring out how to make the two in sync with one another.  That’s the learning curve that is ever-changing and so wonderful to allow yourself to tune into.

Day 299:  Yesterday I ran in Wash Park for 30 minutes and then did 20 minutes of my own “bootcamp.”  I figured that I have done enough of them that I could lead myself through one.  This could not be further from the truth!  For some reason the only exercises I could come up with were lunges, planks and push-ups.  So that is basically what I did over and over again until my 20 minutes was up.   If you happened to see me yesterday in the park, I hope it made you smile 🙂

Day 300:  DAY 300!!!!!  Whoo hoo!  Only 65 days to go.   Where the heck has the time gone?  This morning I went to a power yoga class with a friend and then to City O’ City for a cup of joe afterwards.  The combo of sweat, deep breathing and good conversation helped make day 300 a fantastic one!

Days 288-289: New Inspiration

Day 288:  Yesterday I went to a Core Power Sculpt class.  No surprise there.  However, I did manage to shock the living daylights out of myself during class.  Typically I am one of the first people to arrive at a studio because I think having my first pick of mat placement in class affects my practice deeply (anyone else do this?).  Unfortunately it did not work that way yesterday.  I was running uber late and ended up having to squeeze into a corner.  This would not have been a bad thing, except the corner was right next to the heater/humidifier that heated up the entire room.  I noticed this 10 minutes into class when my yoga mat that is known for its’ sweat-wicking abilities, was no longer wicking.  It. Was. Soaked.  Normally I would have used this unfortunate corner heat situation as an excuse to say, “go easy Bets, it’s damn hot!,” but instead, I allowed myself to be inspired by the two women next to me who were not phased by this in the slightest bit.  In fact, they were the two overachievers in class who set the standard higher for the other 40 people.  I tried by best to follow suit.

When I came home I drank 4 glasses of water and took an ice-cold shower.  My body was spent, but my mind was proud of my ability to look past my excuses and dig a little deeper.   So thank you to those strangers on the mats next to me that made me realize all that I am capable of during a time when I was blinded (by sweat, of course).

Day 289:  My pal and Bonza Body trainer extraordinaire, Jamie Atlas, gave me a bridal workout schedule and nutrition guide to follow for the next 3.5 weeks.  He told me to ramp up my runs to 50-60 minutes three times per week leading up to the wedding.  Not many things could pull me away from my scuplting obsession lately, except for a badass trainer telling me what could potentially lean me down.  Challenge accepted.

Today I ran 5.5 miles to Wash Park, around the perimeter and home.  I even took a different path to make it feel fresh.  During my run I tried to keep my mind as far from wedding details as I could.  I decided to think about my goals.  Where do I want to be in life in 10 years?  How am I going to get there?  What sort of visuals were popping up for me?  It was awesome. Beautiful.  Plentiful.  And most importantly, it inspired me to keep going and preoccupied my busy mind.

Days 283-287: Colorado Love

Day 283:  As the days of my challenge tick by I am realizing that working out is now embedded in my everyday regimen, blogging on the other hand is the first thing to take the back burner when life gets busy.  I promise to you that I am sweating, life’s busyness has just taken the forefront.

Thursday morning I met a friend in Wash Park for a three-mile run and followed it up with a yoga sculpt class at Core Power (you’ll really start to see a trend here).

Day 284:  Friday morning I woke up in Denver to complete sadness.  My fiance came home from working a night shift at Buckley Air Force Base and told me to turn on the devastating news in Aurora.  Like most tragic events, it took me some time to comprehend the magnitude of what had happened just a few miles from home.  My heart was shattered for our state that has already endured so much pain in the past.

Working out was the furthest thing from my mind.  So much so, that I decided that a picnic in the  (empty) park, followed by an hour-long walk with Mike would have to suffice.  We talked and talked trying to work through the overwhelming day.  Sometimes I think that’s all we can to do find some ease.

Day 285:  Core Power Yoga Sculpt.

Day 286:  Ride to and from work and Core Power Yoga Sculpt.

Day 287:  This morning I went on a three-mile run and then to Bonza Bodies tonight for a bootcamp style class.  As I was in class tonight, I kept catching myself doing the wrong exercises, lifting the opposite leg as my classmates or zoning out to the point of not knowing what exercise my body had just completed.  It was a huge realization to myself that I am still processing some things and feeling a little stressed in life.  Running felt like a gift to my mind and although my body loved the hard class, my mind was left feeling more confused.

Tomorrow I will shoot for a yoga flow that can hopefully give my mind a little bit of a rest.

Day 64: Back on Track

You know how sometimes you can workout and not even realize what you’re doing?  Before you know it you’ve practiced an hour of yoga or run an hour and you do not remember moving.  I’ve felt that way the past week or so whenever I workout.  It’s just been half-hearted.  I was missing something.

I think what was missing was the reminder of why I am doing this.  Why, oh why am I working out everyday for a year?  Am I nuts?  It was kind of making me feel that way with all the commuting, time spent working out, the blog writing/thinking about the blog writing, talking about the blog….and then it hit me, this is so worth it because for once I am challenging myself.

Time management has become a huge part of my life, as well as prioritizing and taking care of myself.  You can’t just workout 365 days in a row without taking incredible care of yourself.  I have been sleeping more, eating better and making the best use of my time than I have at any other point in my life.  64 days in and I am getting stronger, mentally and physically.  All of the sudden my body feels depressed when it doesn’t get to sweat and emotionally, I crave sharing my experience with others.

It took another yoga sculpt class with Ms. Caitlin at Core Power Yoga to get me there.  You don’t have time to think in those classes, you just do.  Do what she says, when she says it and if you slack off then she calls you on it.  The intensity was just what I needed to get out of my mind and back into my heart.

My challenge to you is to find whatever it is you need to take you back to the original intention in whatever it is you are working on (your body, relationship, career, health).  Those little reminders are what can help keep you on course.  So remind away and keep going back to your inspiration.  That inspiration will take you wherever you want to go.